Advice Please.

[misterfredrogers]

Our9 yr old Aspie DS been doing abit of this or if not alot of spinning on bouncing and goes from high to low moods..following a bout of depression& stomach migraines in the summer the deputy head agreed she would arrange a Ed Psch to visit but warnin 2 kids in school ahead in queue and we could wait months for our turn!!(id asked the senco about statements a week previous who had looked at me as if i was stupid and said no way willour DS get a statement These Days!) .in the meantime we have had a diagnosis of Dyspraxia and sensory issues by a OT( he has been attending one to one with Ot who recommended school partake in her programme ahem) ,referal by Paed to Consultant Pychiatrist who has recommended a multi agency meeting,SaLT have refered to ASD dept in community hosp for social skills workshop,he has been prescribed blue tinted spectacles for sensory problems....whats holding the meeting up...the good old eductional system....is this the sencos lack of belief in the system..head teachers but he has made so much progress in our school there have been kids ten times worse..he internalises everything and is so passive and conforms to his ability but there is increased evidence he cannot bottle it in the school setting for much longer..its manifested in depression,high anxieties ,low self esteem and Oct 07 we had six weeks of motor tics etc .

then all of a sudden without 24 hours notice ( a cancellation has sprung up..nothing to do with healthcare professionals enquiring when they can pencil in the multi agency meeting you understand )the ed psch is speaking to DS tomorrow and can we pop in for chat after....What can I expect....I dont know much about system re statement what does the banding stand for...he has never even had school action or action plus...sadly through niavity at 4 when ASP diagnosed we didnt ask for one to one as consultant psch advised as academically we thought he was strong and we could self manage its only as he has got older and we now are aware of added problems that we realis ehe desperately needs emotional and social support aswell as help with sensory integration module.what should we be saying tomorrow?????

[Cat]

First of all, and this is very important, you do NOT need the school to apply for a statement for your son. It is YOUR legal right to ask for a Statutory Assessment of needs and my bet would be that the LA would then steam in and ask the school WHY your son has never even been on School Action or School Action Plus. Given all of the other interventions that are happening I think that this is shocking and the school could do with a sharpe short shock here to spur them into action.

 

It is also my betting that the Ed Psy tomorrow might very well agree with the school that your son does not need a statement and that there are other kids who are more needy than your son. The other needy kids are NOT your problem.

 

It is very late now and probably too late for you to do this but my advice to you would be to download a copy of the SEN code of practice from here http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/3724/SENCodeOfPractice.pdf please do not be put of by the fact that the document is massive. This is the bible of many parents who have children with SEN and for a very good reason. This code will tell you just what the school should be doing for your son.

 

I think because the school have been so very good at side steeping their duties and because your sons health is suffering (you have professionals who are willing to support you here which is great) I would write down all of your sons difficulties and then say that unless the school is willing to put your son forward for a statutory assessment you are going to do so yourself. If they say no then you will find all of the info you need to do just that in the code of practice and I know that people here will help you. I would also be telling the school that if they do not fix a date for the multi-agency meeting you will be taking it up with the LA and I would then do just that. If you do not fight for your son then no one else will. The good news is that the other professionals in your sons life appear to be good eggs - hold onto that and run with it.

 

Cat

Edited December 8, 2008 by Cat

[Kathryn]

Can't add anything to Cat's excellent advice. Your son should be at least on school action plus now that outside agencies are being brought in. If you apply for a statutory assessment it will more than likely be refused on the grounds that the school haven't done what they should be doing so far. But taking the initiative in this way will galvanise the school and LA into action and make them look at your son's needs more carefully.

 

Good luck with the meeting tomorrow, let us know what happens.

 

K x

[misterfredrogers]

Thanks Cat and Kathryn for your advice..and guess what your predictions were spot on.J wouldnt warrant moving from his current C band ..he would need three Ds or an E to qualify for a statement.She did say we had legal right to request a statement ourselves but they wouldnt simply on his academic ability but as she had not had feedback from Camhs she may have to review but she had had a wonderful morning with our son who was so happy not showing signs of depression who appeared to be so happy and proud of his school..(the child who can cry and bang his head on bathroom wall on a morning when stressed about school loves it does he!!).Hello You have just taken him out in to the cosy adult world of the staff room having a nice chat with adults who he can relate to ..not watched him interact with his peer group and on my gentle enquiry of what she asked him Ds said Mam she wrote down I liked school on her notepad and I said whats that cross it out so she put a line thru and "put just alittle next to it".

school hadnt given her much background when I said id been informed we were not on school action plus she said oh yes you are or I wouldnt be here..from what date i said ??? no confimation from the school on this...since Camhs letter afew weeks ago I wonder even though school said they would ask in summer.I think she started to take us seriously when we dropped a few of the names now involved on the healthservice side and she refering him to the ASd team to come to school and in fairness she did diplomatically sum up to senco teacher her findings apt managing to get a few of my digs to school in it in a professional way but did wonder once I went what would be said..laughed when she dropped in to them you may be interested DS keeps a diary of structure of his day what happens when it happens in a typical regimental but totally aspie way!!!Did suggest school attempt to give him ten mins OT sessions but how can I ensure this happens?

[Cat]

 

Basically you can not make sure that anything happens without a statement you can only hope that it does and sit on thier case if it does not.

 

Was there a date for a multi-agency meeting set? Maybe this will bring forth results. I would personally be applying for a statement. If your son is on School Action Plus the school will have to prove that they have tried everything to support your son. If they have not done so they will have to do so, so you have nothing to loose really.

 

Cat